Transaction Update
While the large set of releases that usually comes at the end of spring training has yet to happen, the Nationals trimmed their major-league ST roster down by six yesterday.
Watchlister Jeter Downs and OG Paolo Espino were optioned to Rochester while RHPs Alex Colomé, Andrés Machado, and Wily Peralta were reassigned to minor-league camp. 2019’er Matt Adams will not be making the Opening Day roster.
Three players have been released since our last post (level for most of 2022):
- LHP Francisco Perez (Rochester)
- RHP Francys Peguero (Harrisburg)
- SS Isan Castillo (FCL)
The Nats wrap up the Florida portion of Spring Training this afternoon against the Marlins before heading to D.C. for a dress rehearsal on Tuesday against the Yankees. Opening Day is Thursday against the Barves. Rochester begins the 2023 campaign on Friday, Harrisburg and Wilmington start on April 6, and Fredericksburg on April 7.
Thaddeus Ward is important to keep around . He could easily evolve into nice depth starter no matter what direction Kuehl goes and the other deity starter possibilities percolate @ Rochester . Use whatever verb you’d like
For the guys @ Rochester . Verbs in the snarkle catagory even make Luke’s dog laugh .
I’m also on board with Ward. I think he will be able to stick, and sooner or later they will stretch him out. I could very well see him in the rotation at some point.
It boggles the mind that Michael Chavis is making this team. Spring slash .211/.268/.316, and that’s coming off a .265 OBP for all of last season. His career bWAR, across more than a thousand MLB at bats, is -0.4. Here’s hoping that Jake Alu gets a shot to displace him at some point this summer. The bar is low.
I was horrified that they were giving Jeter Downs such a shot to make the club, but he and Valera become intriguing prospects at AAA, if they can figure out how to make contact. One would assume that Kieboom will stay in Florida until he can throw.
Taking a straw poll today
What affiliation will have the more intriguing 25 man roster : Wilmington or FRED?
Senators should see a couple arms off Blue Rox to
Theophile and Parker should join Hanrahan in H- burg . Maybe Cuevas if he rights his ways with a few weeks in A plus ?
Tampa Bsy sure knows how to troll for pitching talent in the lower minors
Interesting deal with ROX to get third round pick in STL Tony Locey
Nats need to troll like that .
Irabu ! Booooo
Should be any day now that we get the rosters. I’m very curious about where some of the prospects go.
Do several arms bump up just to work again with Hanrahan .
It’s been years since I watched Joel pitch for a AAA affiliate Nats vs Indy at Victory Field ( Indy ).
Many years … not as many as seeing Delino in Expo red white and blue take on Dodgers @ Chavez Ravine
Cue Steely Dan .. reelin in the years .. stowing away the time ..
Q uintana
Green and Cox a cool OF @ Fred to follow
Wilmington ? Young Wood Mendez
Emiliani , Connell ( if a failed AA bump up or pink slip )
Mendoza , Frizzell White
Lipscomb Sanchez Arruda , Infante
Peña Rivero
Hmmmm a few days to go ..
Nats sign 31 yo Chad Pinder who was released by the Reds. I guess one more body for AAA.
There’s a bunch of “interesting” players that have been cut in the final round: Keston Hiura, Franchy Cordero, old friend of the site Sandy Leon, Kole Calhoun.
When Hiura came up, I really thought he was going to be a star. His is a cautionary tale for all the Nat prospects with contact issues. Strikeouts can kill your career.
He’s possibly the worst fit for the Nationals, developmentally. The Nats can’t coach contact into any of their players. I can’t imagine what would happen to a guy like Hiura, whose future rests on improving his contact skills.
With that said, he’d be a great addition to the Nats. He’s bad defensively at 2B, but could eat a few innings there when Garcia needs a rest. He’d also get a fair share of playing time when Dominic Smith reminds Rizzo that he’s been worth negative WAR in 4 of his 6 professional seasons. Or worse, when Meneses falls back to earth.
Still, Hiura is a really interesting case. He never had contact issues in college or his first several years in the minors. He was consistently sub 20%, then all of a sudden his K% spiked 10% in 2019, and has gone up consistently in the three seasons that followed, to the point that he struck out an incredible 41.7% of the time in 2022.
Further sketches on FRED April list :
Lile , Cox Quintana , Green McKenzie Baca ?
Infield mix should be interesting
McHenry EC3, QTomlin , House Lawson
Latin arms may make up most of potential FRED rotation unless a couple NCAA arms from last two drafts resurrect in April .
Hallelujah!
I think McKenzie will get the push on to Wilmington. The Fredericksburg OF is going to be crowded with Green, Cox, Lile, and Quintana.
Same with Lipscomb at 3B — I think he gets pushed on to Wilmington so House can have 3B at Fburg.
FRED starters bumped up to Wilmington ?
Cacares , Atencio ( for sure ) and Lara ( BOSSman might laugh at this comment ) is there healthy eating choices around the park in Will or will the host family for the summer cook fresh food , fresh salads , cut the sweet water soft Drinks heavy in sugar ?? ) . We don’t want Lara ending up like that Japanese pitcher who became a whale with the Expos .